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Rate increase?
- Thread starter Blu Streak
- Start date
swaltner
Active Member
Even before the recent inflation in the general economy, Tesla had dramatically increased electricity rates at Superchargers.
First, most locations that had been doing per minute billing were converted to per kWh billing. The per minute rates were VERY CHEAP especially if you disconnected at something like 60%. My first Supercharger trips in 2018 were cheaper per kWh than charging at home.
Lots of other threads about the higher Supercharger charging costs here on TMC, but the general way to think about it it that you are buying the convenience of super-fast charging, not the electricity. Similar to buying a candy bar for $2 at a gas station instead of $1 at a grocery store or $5 for a soft drink at a movie theater.
It definitely hurts the people that don’t have charging at home or work and only charge using the Supercharger network, but for most, where you charge at home, except for a few road trips each year, it doesn’t change the economics much in the grand scheme of things.
First, most locations that had been doing per minute billing were converted to per kWh billing. The per minute rates were VERY CHEAP especially if you disconnected at something like 60%. My first Supercharger trips in 2018 were cheaper per kWh than charging at home.
Lots of other threads about the higher Supercharger charging costs here on TMC, but the general way to think about it it that you are buying the convenience of super-fast charging, not the electricity. Similar to buying a candy bar for $2 at a gas station instead of $1 at a grocery store or $5 for a soft drink at a movie theater.
It definitely hurts the people that don’t have charging at home or work and only charge using the Supercharger network, but for most, where you charge at home, except for a few road trips each year, it doesn’t change the economics much in the grand scheme of things.
You also aren't comparing apples to apples when looking at your home electricity rate.
If you got an electrician out, most people are probably at US$1000+ for their home install including the charger itself (even if you originally got it free you paid for it as part of the car at the time), some considerably more. Amortised that over 5 years charging and the cost goes up considerably.
Similarly the superchargers equipment and install costs are much higher, plus maintenance and security, in some cases site rental fees, and while commercial electricity tariffs can be cheap they also come with high monthly tariffs and in some places peak demand charges.
If you got an electrician out, most people are probably at US$1000+ for their home install including the charger itself (even if you originally got it free you paid for it as part of the car at the time), some considerably more. Amortised that over 5 years charging and the cost goes up considerably.
Similarly the superchargers equipment and install costs are much higher, plus maintenance and security, in some cases site rental fees, and while commercial electricity tariffs can be cheap they also come with high monthly tariffs and in some places peak demand charges.
Yeah, they change constantly--sometimes weekly or monthly or who knows how often. They don't make announcements about it.
RayK
Active Member
While Supercharging rates are not as volatile as gasoline prices, like with different prices at the same company or fluctuations due to geopolitical events, one day it might be that way.
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